Love's Awkward
by Purple Handprint
Summary: Things get pretty awkward when you realize that you're crushing on your best friend.
1. Birthday Preparations

**Chapter 1: Birthday Preparations**

Phoenix Wright

"So Franziska's turning twenty, huh?"

Hearing no response, I turned my head toward Maya, who was frantically trying to wrap up a small box. She stared hopelessly as the wrapping paper slowly ripped apart, ruining all of her effort. With a sigh, Maya began unpeeling the tape to start over. I couldn't help but feel sorry for her and her repeated attempts at wrapping a simple box.

"Need some help with that?"

Maya threw her hands up in frustration, quickly adjusting their position until they crossed against her chest. She pouted. "Why is this so hard?"

"It's not that hard." I began carefully folding the paper over the small cardboard box, held closed by a patchwork of shoddily-applied duct tape. "You just need to practice."

I finished wrapping within minutes. Maya's jaw dropped, staring in disbelief at the neat, crisp layer of decorative sheeting. "Whoa, Nick, how did you do that?"

"You were like this... and then you did this, and then this..." Maya accompanied each "this" with wild hand movements, her arms flailing around in an attempt to reenact my gift-wrapping. "And then BAM! A perfectly wrapped present!"

I smiled. Leave it to Maya to make wrapping presents sound exciting. Her ramblings always made me feel a little happier. Or extremely concerned about her sanity.

"Oh, wait!" Maya gasped, before running off to the counter. She swiped something off the surface and came back with a triumphant grin, stretching out her arm to reveal a shiny red bow. She plopped the adornment onto the top of the box, completing the gift-wrapping process. "There. Now we're done."

Looking at the present, I realized that it had never occurred to me that I didn't know what I was giving Franziska for her birthday. All I remember is handing Maya a fistful of cash as I reminded her not to waste money on anything other than a gift we could both give to the whip-happy prosecutor. "Hey, what's inside that box, anyway?"

"You'll never guess." Maya paused, waggling her eyebrows in what I assume was an attempt at suspense. After a few anti-climactic seconds, she revealed, "A custom made teddy bear!"

"A... a teddy bear...?" I stared at Maya in disbelief. "We're giving Franziska von Karma a _teddy bear_?" I couldn't imagine that cold-hearted woman cuddling with some cute little teddy bear. It... it just wasn't the Von Karma way!

"Uh huh! It looks exactly like her," Maya responded. "It's got this bluish-silvery fur and poofy clothes and even its own cute little whip."

"Oh man," I muttered, feeling myself getting light-headed._  
><em>

"And..." I stared in horror as Maya's smile grew larger.

_This can't be good._

"When you push its paw, it shouts 'Perfection!'"

"Oh man," I repeated. Beads of sweat started running down my face. Was the world spinning? It felt like it was. "She's going to kill us," I sighed to myself.

My head flashed back to when Franziska had whipped me until I fell unconscious.

_Maybe Franziska will be nice to us_, I thought.

Oh, who was I kidding? I gave up hoping for the impossible. Instead, I started counting how many scars I'd probably get as a result of this. Six. No, seven. At least seven.

Maya stood up and headed for her room. "I guess we should get ready now," she said. "Franziska would be mad if we're late."

"Y-yeah!" I sure didn't want her to get mad! I stumbled into my room and quickly changed into my standard blue suit. Finished, I sat on the living room couch and waited for Maya, whose door was still closed shut. I kept myself busy looking at everything around me. Steel Samurai memorabilia laid scattered around the room, and burger wrappers cluttered the table. Three years ago, I would've been aghast at the thought of a messy room. Now, it comforted me.

I couldn't wrap my head around the fact that it had been almost three years since I'd met Maya. I recalled the image of the mousy younger sister of my mentor sitting behind a pane of glass, pleading with sad eyes that she was innocent. Another memory floated by, this time of her professing her faith in my ability to get her acquitted of murder.

_It's weird how Maya's older than Franziska._ I mused. _It's the opposite of what I'd expect.__  
><em>

My thoughts were interrupted by an energetic Maya bounding out her doorway, her Steel Samurai pajamas replaced by her usual acolyte clothing. The long, loose sleeves of her purple outfit swished back and forth as she emphatically waved her arms around in excitement. "Well, let's go, Nick!"

I stood up, placing my hand on the brass knob that jutted out of the front door of my office. I was about to push the door open when Maya stopped abruptly, forcing me to do so, as well.

"What's wrong?" I asked.

"Your tie's on a little weird," she informed me, frowning. Without warning, Maya leaned toward me and stuck her hand at my collar, shifting the cheap, flimsy fabric hanging off my neck. Her soft skin inadvertently caressed the rough skin exposed above my torso, causing myself to unconsciously erupt into goosebumps.

"Um, um, uhhhh..." I stammered, feeling awkward about the distance between us. I uncomfortably squirmed backward, nudging my assistant away from me.

"Hold still, Nick," Maya commanded. She stepped closer, trying to correct whatever mistake I had made in my hurry to get dressed. I felt my face redden as she bumped up against my body so that she could get a better grip on my clothing.

"I'm almost done..." Maya continued to fumble with my tie, shifting it. I wondered whether or not she could feel the fast tempo of my heartbeat now that her chest was pressed up against mine.

Finally, Maya stepped back, bouncing on the heels of her feet. "There!" She eyed me up and down, seemingly oblivious to my flushed skin, goosebumps, and nervous trembling. "Now you look good."

"Uh, thanks," I mumbled, trying to suppress a stupid grin. "For that," I lamely added after a brief pause, as if that made a difference.

Maya just stuffed Franziska's present into my arms in response. "Come on, Nick!" she exclaimed. "We don't want to keep Franziska waiting!"

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><p><strong>For some reason, FF isn't letting me use two forms of punctuation at the same time (i.e. "! ?") so sorry if that bothers you. :(<strong>

**EDIT: 7/11/12 - Re-writing some of this to make stuff better. And fix all the tense issues I had.**


	2. Mr Edgeworth And His Many Girlfriends

**Chapter 2: Mr. Edgeworth And His Many Girlfriends**

Maya Fey

Mr. Edgeworth's large mansion loomed over me, its exterior calm yet intimidating, just like its owner. A red sports car was parked in the driveway, its shiny surface blinding me as I gaped at it.

_Wow, that car looks really expensive. And that mansion is soooo huge._

"That's one huge house." Nick remarked, as if reading my mind.

"It sure is!" I agreed, bobbing my head up and down.

"Why does he need such a big mansion anyway? He lives by himself."

"Hey, doesn't Mr. Edgeworth have a girlfriend? He was with that girl at Gatewater Land that one day you, Pearly, and I were crossing that river by the bridge, remember?" I inquired.

"Of course Mr. Edgeworth would have a young, pretty lady as his girlfriend," I said after a second of contemplation.

Mr. Edgeworth didn't seem like the Gatewater Land type. He was probably on a date with that girl. That made the most sense. Why else would he have been there? Yep, that was definitely his girlfriend!

_I wonder if she'll be at Franziska's birthday party... I hope so! I wonder what she's like? I bet she's nice! I hope she's not some murderer. I hate when that happens. Why am I always caught up in murd-_

"What do you mean, 'Of course he has a young, pretty girlfriend'?" Nick asked stiffly, his relaxed slouch suddenly straightening into a position that reflected his tone.

"Huh?" I murmured absentmindedly. "Oh, you know." Why was Nick so concerned about Edgeworth's love life?

"'You know' what?" Nick stared at me curiously. "What makes him so, uh, desirable?"

"_'Desirable'?_ Jeez, Nick, way to make things awkward," I teased. "Why do you wanna know, anyways?"

"Uh... because..." Nick glanced around, looking everywhere but at me. His bottom lip curled under the top row of his teeth. "Because..."

"I can't believe it!" I laughed, breaking into an amused smirk. "You're jealous!"

"J-jealous?" Fake, hollow laughter escaped from his lips. "Ha ha ha ha. W-why would I be jealous?"

"You're jealous that Mr. Edgeworth gets more girls than you!"

That was weird. For a second there, he actually looked... relieved?

"Y-yeah..."

Hm, maybe I was just seeing things; he was back to stuttering.

"This is embarrassing. I really wanted to know how Edgeworth managed to have _so_ many girlfriends. And that's embarrassing."

Wait, what was with that look on his face? His lips were slightly turned up at the corners, kind of like he was smiling. I was definitely seeing things! Why would he be smiling? He was so embarrassed that he kept saying how embarrassed he was!

"Well, Nick, if you _really_ want to know Mr. Edgeworth's secret to picking up girls..." I told him. "It's because he's really good-looking. And rich, too."

"Oh."

An uncomfortable silence followed.

_What was with that tone of voice? Does he think I like Mr. Edgeworth? The way I said it makes it seem like I'm crushing on him. I don't want him to think that! Nick'll feel even worse! I better fix this._

"Hey, Nick, you know I don't like Mr. Edgeworth, right?" And to make sure he got it, I repeated myself. "Because I don't."

_There. That should clear up any misunderstandings._

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><p><span>Phoenix Wright<span>

"Hey, Nick, you know I don't like Mr. Edgeworth, right? Because I don't."

_Oh my god. She likes Edgeworth._

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><p><strong>Another chapter. I've actually been writing this story for a while, so that's why this chapter came so quickly. :D Also, thanks for the reviews everyone. :) I'll upload the next few chapters I've done later on.<strong>


	3. We're Just Friends

**Chapter 3: We're Just Friends**

Phoenix Wright

Maya and... Edgeworth. I heard the way she talked about him. "Edgeworth? Oh, he's sooooooooo hot. And rich. So many girls like him! Did I say he was hot? You're jealous of his hotness! And you suck. Because you don't make a lot of money. What? No, I don't like him. Where did you get that idea? I don't like him. DENIAL."

I was exaggerating, but she might as well have said that.

"Whatever," I replied as casually as possible after Maya had told me that she "did not like Edgeworth". "It's not like I care."

Maybe she was just telling the truth about Edgeworth. She was probably just explaining her reasoning for Edgeworth's attractiveness. I've seen so many girls drool over him, and Edgeworth doesn't even notice. Maya was just stating the obvious.

"Uh... we should we go in, now." I walked over to the front door and rang the doorbell. A short elegant tune played over the murmuring of party guests.

But if she didn't mean anything by it, then why did she keep denying it when I hadn't even asked? That was just suspicious. It was like saying "I didn't kill him" before anyone even knew the guy was dead.

"Hello, Phoenix Wright." A short, silver-haired prosecutor greeted me, formal as ever. She eyed the box I was holding. "I see Miles Edgeworth had invited you and Maya Fey for my birthday."

And didn't Maya say Edgeworth was "pretty cool" or something WHILE HE WAS TRYING TO GET US BOTH CONVICTED OF MURDER? But then again, she forgave Franziska pretty quickly, and she tried to get Maya convicted of murder as well. Maybe I was just over-thinking things.

Maya waved in greeting at Franziska. "Hi there, Ms. Von Karma... I mean, Franziska? Er... Anyway, happy birthday!"

Surprisingly, she replied, "Franziska is fine", though I could see her wince slightly as she said it. No doubt she was making an effort to be nice, for whatever reason. "Come in."

"HAPPY BIRTHDAY, MS. VON KARMA!" Someone suddenly jumped down between Franziska and me, a blur of pink and navy blue descending from the ceiling. I screamed instinctively, squeezing my eyes shut at the sudden movement. When I opened them, I found myself looking at an unfamiliar young girl with a complicated hairdo and a key stuck through her raven locks.

Embarrassing as it was, I wasn't the only one who was frightened.

The girl jumped back, too, and looked at Maya and me in surprise, as if just realizing we were here. She stared back at our shocked selves for a while, forehead scrunched in concentration. Then, her eyes lit up in recognition.

"Oh, hi! You must be that lawyer everybody keeps referring to. I really don't get why they just don't say your name. It's always 'that man' this or 'a certain defense lawyer' that." She grinned cheekily and stuck out her hand. "Anyway, I'm Kay Faraday, the Great Thief Yatagarasu!"

* * *

><p><span>Kay Faraday<span>

"Great... Thief...?" The guy with unnaturally spiky hair limply shook my hand. "Uh, I'm Phoenix Wright."

I then turned to the girl next to Mr. Wright and reintroduced myself. "Hey there! I'm Kay Faraday, the Great Thief Yatagarasu!"

"Hi!" She chirped. I immediately decided that this girl was friendly. "I'm Maya, the great spirit medium, future Master of Kurain! You're the girl I saw Mr. Edgeworth with at Gatewater Land."

"Oh, yeah, Gatewater Land! That sure was fun!"

"So you and Mr. Edgeworth, huh?" Maya cocked her head questioningly.

"Yeah, we're really close!" I pumped my fist into the air. "He's solved the mystery of my dad's death and saved me from getting arrested for murder, while I've saved him from a kidnapping."

"Sound familiar, Nick?" Maya nudged Mr. Wright with her elbow, flashing him a wide smile.

He responded with a grimace. "Oh man, don't remind me," He started grumbling to himself. "Always making me worried..." Although his words were scolding, he had a soft smile on his face. I could automatically tell he cared a lot about her.

"So," I said. "Are you two...?"

"N-no!" Maya quickly denied, blushing. "Nick and I are just friends!"

As soon as she said that, a pained look crossed Mr. Wright's face.

Clearly, he did not think of Maya that way.

* * *

><p><strong>Uploading the next chapter, too, because I don't think this chapter was all that great.<strong>


	4. Relationships Are Overrated

**Chapter 4: Relationships Are Overrated**

Phoenix Wright

"It's okay; we get that all the time." Maya assured Kay after she had mistaken us for a couple. "I'm sure you and Mr. Edgeworth are very happy together, though."

"Huh?" Kay gave Maya a blank stare. "Ohhhhh! Nonononono! Mr. Edgeworth and I aren't dating or anything!" _I knew it._

"Oh! You mean, you're not...?" _I'm sure Maya would _love_ that._

"I think you misunderstood. There's nothing romantic going on."

I started tuning out the conversation once Kay and Maya started chattering about Edgeworth. Feeling a bit depressed, I went to go get a drink.

"Hey, pal!" A familiar voice yelled to me. It was Gumshoe. He was standing next to Maggey Byrde, his arm wrapped around her waist. Maggey repeated his greeting, and waved at me. I waved back halfheartedly and faked a smile. They smiled back and then resumed feeding each other food, giggling and grinning. The two had been dating ever since... that one case. They looked so happy together. Good for them...

I spied Larry and a beautiful girl I didn't know kissing passionately in the corner of the room. I should have been disgusted, but all I felt was envy.

With a sigh, I poured myself some wine. Whatever. Relationships are overrated.

* * *

><p><span>Maya Fey<span>

Kay and I were getting along really well. She and I had so much in common, and there was never a break in conversation. As we started talking about Mr. Edgeworth, Nick said something about getting a drink and left.

Kay explained a kidnapping plot that had involved Edgeworth, which led to me talking about when _I_ got kidnapped. While I was talking about the trial, Kay kept shooting furtive glances at something behind me. Curious, I turned my head and found myself staring right at Nick's spiky black hair.

_Why does she keep looking at him...?_

I tried to push the thought out my mind and continued recounting my story. When I had finished, Kay took one more look at what I assumed was still Nick and nonchalantly asked, "So, is there a guy you're interested in?"

"Um... You know Nick...?"

Kay leaned toward me, an interested glint in her eyes. "Yeah, that's Mr. Wright."

"Well..."

* * *

><p><strong>Thanks for the reviews, guys! I hope this chapter doesn't disappoint. I could not come up with a chapter name, too.<strong>

**EDIT: 7/11/12 - Dang, my writing. It was... meh. :P Not fixing all this... Mostly just fixing the tenses now. Too much work to re-write and add description and stuff. D:**


	5. Franziska's Got A Heart

**Chapter 5: Franziska's Got A Heart**

Franziska von Karma

I observed quietly as Phoenix Wright interacted with Maya Fey. The way he looked at her, the way he acted as she denied any feelings for him, was very telling. Kay Faraday had noticed, too. However, I could not figure out whether or not the feeling was mutual. It was obvious Maya Fey cared a lot about him as well, but was it in a romantic way? I found Phoenix Wright standing at the back of the room, alcoholic drink in hand, deep in thought.

"Phoenix Wright."

Phoenix jumped and then turned to face me. "Oh, hello, Franziska."

I cut past any useless, idle chatter and promptly started our conversation off with, "Do you remember that case where Ms. Fey was kidnapped?"

"Yes." Wright paused before asking, "Why?"

"Thank you for returning my whip."

Phoenix Wright looked at me quizzically. "Um... You're welcome."

"Do you remember when I had given you the three pieces of evidence from Shelly de Killer's hideout?" I continued.

"Yeah, thank you so much for that. I... I don't know what I would've done if... if..." He cleared his throat. "Thanks."

"You're welcome," I replied smoothly, before again turning the conversation back to the case's evidence. "Did you know there were actually four pieces of evidence?"

"I heard something about that. Doesn't really matter now, though."

"I believe it does. I promised that I would give it to you whenever I saw you again, but I... decided not to." In all honesty, I did not want him to feel worse if something happened to Maya Fey, but he didn't need to know that.

"Are you sure it wasn't because you forgot?" An infuriating smile crossed the fool's face.

"Foolish fool! Do not mock me!" A comforting crack rang out as my whip came in contact with said fool's chest. "Anyway, here's the evidence." I contemptuously threw the object at him, who bent down to pick it up. "Be glad that I still gave this to you even after what you've done."

Phoenix Wright examined the piece of evidence, confused. The confused frown on his face slowly transformed into a large grin as he gradually pieced together what he was holding.

Perhaps, it was because it was my birthday. Perhaps it was the look of pure happiness on his face as he continued to stare at the small card in his hand. Or perhaps, it was because I knew how it felt to fall in love with someone, to care so intensely about a person that I would do anything for them.

Whatever the reason, I found myself smiling, too.

* * *

><p><strong>Okay, guys. Another chapter. By the way, would y'all mind if I pair Edgeworth up with someone? <strong>**It's a side character who only appears in one case, by the way. It's not Franziska or Kay or any other main character. And it's not a guy. I think it'd work, but I don't know. It won't be the main ship, so you don't have to worry about that. Opinions on this, please. :)**

**EDIT: I honestly don't plan on expanding Franziska's falling in love thing. Mostly because I can't imagine her falling in love with anyone from the game, and I hate OC's that're only used as a love interest for a character. **I did it to make her seem more human, and I don't really plan on going anywhere with it. Sorry. :P****


	6. What Is Going On Here?

**Chapter 6: What Is Going On Here?**

Miles Edgeworth

"Thank you for the cake. It's perfect."

I took the glass, custom-crafted container from the young woman, who had been smiling at me the whole time. The smile seemed genuine, contradicting my assumption that she had been baring her teeth for such a prolonged time for the sole purpose of satisfying customer service.

"So, who's this cake for?" The woman asked me. "Your girlfriend?"

"No, nothing like that," I answered politely. "It's for my... sister, for lack of a better word."

"Well, if you ever want something sweet, you know who to go to." The woman winked at me.

"I'll be sure to come back the next time I need any baking services," I said appreciatively and paid for the cake.

"Um, yeah, okay."

I walked out of the bakery and opened the door to my car, carefully sitting the large, elaborate cake in the passenger seat. I started up the engine.

* * *

><p><span>Kay Faraday<span>

"Well..."

_This is it! Maya's gonna admit her feelings for Mr. Wright!_

And then the door opened. A tall man with a red suit and frilly cravat stood in the doorway, holding a huge pastry. "Hi everyone. I have the cake here."

"Oh hey, Mr. Edgeworth!" Maya called out.

Great. Perfect timing, Mr. Edgeworth.

* * *

><p><span>Phoenix Wright<span>

I crouched down to pick up whatever Franziska had thrown. It was a card. A Shelly de Killer calling card with a doodle of me on it and "Nick" scrawled under in Maya's flowing handwriting.

_Maya was... thinking about me the whole time she was kidnapped. She really cared about me, trusted me. She might even... I don't know, like me. More than as a friend._

I knew I was smiling, but I couldn't hide it. It was an amazing feeling. The smile on my face stayed plastered on my face, refusing to leave, and I could feel my heart pounding against my chest, becoming increasingly louder with each thump. I knew Franziska was watching me, but I didn't care. The possibility of Maya liking me continued to echo in my brain.

In my state of euphoria, I stood up and, without thinking, hugged Franziska.

* * *

><p><span>Miles Edgeworth<span>

Kay glared at me.

What did I do?

"Edgeeeey!" Larry ran over, holding an attractive lady's hand. He introduced his new girlfriend with that childlike enthusiasm of his.

"Hello. I'm Miles Edgeworth. Nice to meet you."

Larry was going to get dumped by this girl soon, like always. We exchanged some small talk, and then Larry and the girl went to the guest room to do who-knew-what. I shuddered, assuming the worst. After convincing myself that Larry and his girlfriend were in there for purely innocent purposes, I walked to the back of the room, where Wright and Franziska were conversing. I set the cake down on the table in front of me and pulled the glass casing out to reveal the cake in all its glory.

Then, out of the corner of my eye, I spotted a quick flash of blue go out of my eyesight. I turned around to find Wright wearing a toothy smile, arms squeezed around Franziska's body. Franziska, on the other hand, was stiff as a board, eyes wide in shock. Her arms fell at her sides, crushed by Wright's embrace.

"WHAT IS GOING ON HERE?"

* * *

><p><span>Maya Fey<span>

"Well? What were you saying about Mr. Wright?" Kay looked at me expectantly.

"Um... N-nothing." I started feeling uncomfortable with the topic. "We're just friends."

"Uh huh." Kay said, unconvinced. "Right."

"Besides, he's in love with Iris," I whispered to myself.

"What? Who's Iris?" _...I shouldn't say things out loud._

I hesitated and decided on a simple answer. "She's a girl he dated in college."

"College? He's probably already gotten over her, then."

"We visited her in jail last time. He couldn't stop looking at her."

"Uh, jail?"

"It's a long story." Pictures of the incident flashed in my mind. "And not a happy one."

"Okay." Kay didn't question me any further. "But I know he likes you a lot."

"WHAT IS GOING ON HERE?" I heard a masculine voice yell. I reflexively whipped around to the source of the yell and saw Mr. Edgeworth looking at something in horror. I followed his eyes and saw Nick hugging Franziska tightly, grinning from ear to ear.

"I don't think he does..."

* * *

><p><strong>Sorry, writer's block. If this chapter sucks, that's why. :( By the way, I've decided to not give Edgeworth a love interest.<strong>

**EDIT: Oh my god. I'm reading another fanfic, and I realized how similar it is to mine. They're at a party. Franziska hands Phoenix the calling card. There's even this line: "_Maya drew this while she was kidnapped. She… she was thinking about me that whole time?" _I swear, I have not read this story before. O_O How weird. The story's called Turnabout Catalyst by the way.**

**EDIT 2: And Maya even thinks that Kay and Edgeworth are together! I'm serious; this is so weird!**


	7. You Can't Run Away From Your Problems

**Chapter 7: You Can't Run Away From Your Problems**

Phoenix Wright

"WHAT IS GOING ON HERE?" Edgeworth's voice jolted me back into reality. Everyone's faces were turned to me, many expressing confusion or surprise.

_What? What's wrong?_

Suddenly, I noticed the puffy sleeves in front of me. I stumbled back, realizing what I had done.

"I'm just, uh..." I needed an excuse. _Now._ "Franziska and I were, uh..." My mind drew a blank. I couldn't think of any decent response.

"I... understand." Edgeworth frowned. "If you two are to be dating, I have a few rules you must follow. First of all, if you are to show any affection, a peck on the cheek is sufficient. Nothing more."

"W-what? No, Franziska and I aren't-"

"Second, you two cannot do anything that could result in any unwanted consequences. Such as pregnancy."

"P-pregnancy?" What was Edgeworth _thinking_? "Nothing like that is-"

"Third, you cannot- GAH!"

"Miles Edgeworth!" Franziska's whip prevented Edgeworth from continuing. "There are no romantic feelings between Phoenix Wright and me. You do not need to concern yourself over this matter. He was simply wishing me a happy birthday. Furthermore, you do not need to protect me should any relationship actually occur between me and another man. I am not a child."

"...I see," Edgeworth replied. "I'm sorry for the misunderstanding." All of the spectators who had been watching slowly returned to what they had been doing beforehand, uninterested. After a long, awkward pause, Edgeworth went to mingle with the other guests, leaving me and Franziska alone.

"You foolish fool!" Franziska fumed at me through gritted teeth. "Do not ever touch me again."

"Uh, sorry about that." I gave her a sheepish smile. "I was just kind of caught up in the moment."

"That's no excuse. Just because you care for a girl, doesn't mean you should have blatant disregard for any personal space."

"Huh? W-what do you mean?" I played dumb.

"Do not play dumb, Phoenix Wright." Was I really that easy to see through? "I gave you that card for a reason."

"I-I don't know what you're talking about." I continued my act, hoping she would give up.

Franziska ignored me. "I just hope that my actions were not in vain."

"Hey, Mr. Wright!" Kay suddenly appeared before me, dragging Maya along with her like an oversized doll. "We need to talk. It's important!"

"What is it?"

"Maya wants to go out with you!" Kay blurted out.

"Sh-she does?" I looked to Maya for confirmation.

"No I don't!" Maya quickly disagreed, a blush rapidly coloring her cheeks. "I-I would never do something like that!"

And just like that, the joy I felt earlier quickly was crushed into bitter disappointment.

"O-oh..."

"Don't lie, Maya." Kay crossed her arms, a look of disapproval on her face. "I know it's true."

"No, it's okay..." I mumbled. "I believe her."

"She does!" Kay insisted, exasperated. "I know she does!" Kay turned to Maya, and pointed a finger at me. "Look at his face! He's so sad!"

I quickly forced a smile to mask my emotions.

"N-Nick probably likes Franziska. Right, Nick?"

"I thought you said he was in love with that girl, Iris," Kay rebutted. "But you're not, right, Mr. Wright?"

"Um..."

"I know!" Kay piped up before I could answer. "Use your maga... maga... the thing that reveals secrets! The one Maya told me about."

"Er, it needs to be charged..."

"Are you SERIOUS?" Kay slapped her forehead in frustration. "First Mr. Edgeworth and now _this_? What's next?"

"Maya Fey," Franziska butted into the conversation, preventing me from responding. I had forgotten that she was standing next to me. "There is no chance at all that Phoenix Wright feels anything romantic toward me." _Thank you, Franziska!_

"However, he has very strong romantic feelings for you, Maya Fey." I felt my face heat up.

"I, uh, Maya..." I croaked, desperate to end the conversation.

"Ms. von Karma, sir!" A gruff voice bellowed at us, saving me from any further embarrassment. "Mr. Edgeworth's treating us to a fancy dinner for your birthday!"

"Okay, time to go!" I cried out in relief. I raced out the door, pushing Gumshoe out of the way, who barked back a "Hey, watch it, pal!"

"SERIOUSLY?" I heard Kay yell. "AGAIN?"

* * *

><p><span>Franziska von Karma<span>

I shook my head in disappointment as Phoenix Wright shoved Scruffy onto the ground in a mad dash out the door.

_You foolish fool. You can't run away from your problems. Sooner or later, you'll have to face the girl._

_Until then, I'll enjoy watching you squirm._

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><p><strong>So many convenient interruptions. I bet y'all feel as frustrated as Kay, huh? :D Again, thanks for the reviews. They make me happy. :) I have no idea where I'm going with this. Hopefully, I'll come up with something interesting. I really should plan these things out.<strong>

**EDIT: 7/11/12 - First-person. Never again. :|  
><strong>**Okay, just kidding. Maybe again.**


	8. Something To Tell You

**Chapter 8: Something To Tell You**

Maya Fey

Nick had just run off, leaving me with Franziska and Kay.

"That was interesting," Franziska remarked.

"Interesting?" Kay sputtered. "That was STUPID."

"The foolishly foolish fool was too foolishly afraid to reveal his feelings," Franziska said matter-of-factly. "I guess it was to be expected of the fool."

"I know! And Maya won't even admit _her_ feelings."

"So... you two really think he likes me, huh?" I asked, leading the conversation away from me.

"I know he does, Maya Fey," Franziska affirmed. "Now, if you'll excuse me, I have to go to a 'fancy dinner'."

She sounded so sure. It would explain why he ran away. If he didn't like me, he would've just said so.

"He likes you," Kay said to me. "Do you like him?"

I didn't answer.

"You do." Kay just frowned at me. "What are you so afraid of?"

"I'm not afraid of anything," I lied.

Rejection. I was afraid of rejection.

_It's a stupid fear if what they say is true. But I can't believe it until Nick says it himself. If it wasn't true, imagine what would happen to us. I can't take the chance._

I noticed Gumshoe waving at us. "We should go now."

"Fine," Kay muttered.

* * *

><p><span>Phoenix Wright<span>

"It's over!" Larry cried as I stared helplessly, awkwardly patting him on the back.

One car ride could really change everything. One minute they're sucking on each other's face and the next, they've broken up. We were all seated at a table, waiting for Larry to arrive when he burst through the door in tears. Apparently, his girl's ex-boyfriend was back in town, and she dumped Larry as soon as she found out.

"You'll find another girl," I tried comforting Larry. "There's plenty of fish in the sea."

"Thanks, Nick." The tired old line worked. Larry smiled at me, and then suddenly asked, "Hey, are you and Maya together?"

"...No," I finally responded after a while. "Why?"

"I was just thinking of asking her out." Wow, he got over that girl pretty quick.

"Oh." I didn't know what else to say. I know Maya doesn't like Larry that way, so I wasn't very worried. Sure, Larry had the ability to attract beautiful women, but I doubt Maya would agree to something like that.

"Just making sure," Larry explained. "You and her are so close and stuff."

"Yeah," I agreed simply.

"It's weird; you aren't sitting with her."

"Oh, I didn't notice," I replied, trying my best to sound normal. "I'm comforting you, after all."

Truthfully, I had avoided Maya after that debacle earlier, for obvious reasons. I insisted on sitting in the passenger seat of Edgeworth's car and avoided looking at Maya during the whole drive. I then proceeded to sit in the farthest possible spot away from her at the table.

"It's okay, buddy!" Larry gave me a thumbs-up. "I'm good now. You can sit next to her."

"No, I'm fine," I assured Larry, hoping he wouldn't question any further.

"But Nick, she's your best friend!" Larry cried out.

"Yes, Phoenix Wright," Franziska chimed in. "I agree." I gave Franziska what I hoped was an icy glare. Franziska just gave me a smug smirk in response, obviously amused at my discomfort.

"Yeah!" Kay yelled out from the other side of the table in an unnecessarily loud voice, trying to draw attention to what was happening. "Why don't you sit with Maya, Mr. Wright?" I directed my glare from Franziska to Kay.

"Really, guys, I'm fine." I glanced around at the others, who were beginning to take notice.

"Wright, they do have a point," Edgeworth decided to join in. "Maya is your best friend. It's only natural that you should sit next to her."

"Yeah, pal!" Gumshoe agreed. Soon, the noise around the table turned into nagging murmurs, urging me to sit with Maya. Honestly, why did they even care?

"Okay, fine." I eventually caved in. I reluctantly made my way over to Maya. "I'm sitting next to her."

"Talk," Kay commanded as soon as I sat down. "About your feelings."

"Uh... will do." I coughed as Kay continued to stare, waiting for someone to speak.

"Er... So, Maya," I began, trying to drive away Kay's unsettling gaze. "I'm, uh, your friend."

"Yeah... Friends," Maya responded. She fiddled with the sash tied around her waist. It was clear that we were both pretty uncomfortable with the situation.

Kay rolled her eyes, and mouthed something I couldn't decipher, pointing at Maya. I nodded, pretending to understand. Satisfied, Kay turned around to talk to Gumshoe.

I gave a sigh of relief. Finally. No one trying to pair me and Maya up. Maya seemed to relax as well, her posture becoming less rigid.

"I'm glad that's over," I finally said, breaking the silence. The wall of awkwardness between us began to disappear as Maya gave me a grin.

"Yeah. That was awkward," Maya stated with a laugh.

_Sure, I like Maya. A lot. I had crossed a burning bridge for her, across a river that was notorious for sweeping away bodies, never to be seen again. But I didn't think. I didn't care. All I knew was that Maya could be in danger. I can't deny it. I really care about her. I really wanted to be with her. But was it worth risking our friendship?_

"Nick. You there?" Maya's voice brought me out of my thoughts. "You're still not hung up on Kay's matchmaking, are you?"

"Yeah. I'm here," I answered.

"Good. I have so much to tell you!" Maya then started filling me in on what she had learned about Edgeworth's recent adventures from Kay. I grinned as she retold the tales, her voice filled with that excitement and enthusiasm I was so familiar with. As I listened, my thoughts kept drifting back to my feelings for Maya.

I remember how I felt for Iris in college. I had loved Iris, no doubt about it. But I've moved on. I still longed for the feeling, though. The feeling of being with someone you loved unconditionally. The feeling of knowing that there was someone who felt the same way.

Did I feel the same way about Maya? I don't know. Maybe. I.. I might even have stronger feelings with Maya. And if Kay was to be believed, Maya might feel the same way. If I don't ask, I could miss out on a chance to be with the girl I love. The chance to be truly happy.

"Maya..." I started, interrupting her storytelling. "I... I have something I need to tell you."

* * *

><p><strong>The big reveal! Maybe. :P Also, Maya in this fic is 20. I made Franziska younger than her, and since she just turned 20, then Maya would still be 20, too. <strong>Phoenix is still 26, I guess. <strong>Thanks for the reviews, guys.**


	9. So Right

**Chapter 9: So Right**

Phoenix Wright

"I, uh, really like you." I managed to say. As soon as the words came out of my mouth, I started having second thoughts. This was a bad idea. It's too late, though. I looked at Maya's face for any signs of reciprocation.

"You... huh?" Maya seemed at a loss for words. She stared at me with widened eyes. It wasn't the reaction I wanted. She didn't like me. I had to face it. She didn't like me.

"I, um, I guess you don't the feel the same way." I sighed. "It's okay."

"No!" Maya shouted, gaining the attention of _everyone_. Even people from other tables looked our way.

"Hey, man, what're you doing to that girl?" A beefy man sitting at the table next to us yelled.

Maya instantly reddened. "Uh, everything's fine. No need to worry. Look away."

"So... you _do_ like me?" I asked, ignoring the all the eyes that were fixated on us.

"Er... yeah, but people are kind of staring." Hearing those words made me feel unbelievably happy. It wasn't very romantic, but she had admitted to liking me back. Unable to control myself, I leaned closer to Maya. I saw Maya's eyes widen as she realized what was happening, but she didn't resist. My lips crashed into hers. I was vaguely aware of the high-pitched squeaks coming from Kay and I could hear the same man from earlier yelling at us to get a room, but I didn't care. All I could concentrate on was _this_ kiss. It wasn't very passionate or steamy, but... Well, it was amazing.

I pulled back and couldn't get rid of the insanely large smile on my face.

"I've wanted to do that for a long time," I said to Maya, who was breathing heavily, speechless.

"Awwwwww..." I heard Kay squeal. "That's adorable! A bit cliché but still adorable!"

"Whoa, pal, that was really romantic!" Gumshoe exclaimed. "It's like what they say in those movies."

"About time," Franziska remarked.

"What...? Since when did they like each other?" Edgeworth questioned, completely baffled. "I thought they were just friends."

"You're so clueless about these things, Mr. Edgeworth," Kay teased. "All those girls with those little crushes on you, and you don't even notice."

"Crushes?" Edgeworth repeated, even more surprised. "Women find me attractive...?" He stopped talking, musing over this revelation.

"Niiiiiick!" Larry cried out. "I was gonna ask her out! Man, why do you always steal the cute girls from me? Aw well. Hey Kay, you interested?"

"I'm too young for you, Larry. Maybe next year!"

"Really? You'll consider it?" Larry gave her a lopsided smile.

"Sure!"

"What about you, Franzy?" Larry faced Franziska, whose smirk from earlier quickly turned into an agitated frown. She readied her whip, striking Larry repeatedly.

"You fool! Of course I won't date a foolishly foolish fool like you. And do not EVER call me Franzy ever again!"

I leaned back, watching our friends babble on, still wearing that big, fat smile.

* * *

><p><span>Maya Fey<span>

I was in a daze. There I was, rambling on about Kay's little gadget, and Nick cuts in. He says he wants to tell me something. His voice was serious but I could hear a hint of nervousness in it.

"I, uh, really like you."

"You... huh?" That wasn't what I was expecting _at all_. I couldn't process what had just happened, and the stupid response was the result. Immediately, Nick's face fell.

"I, um, I guess you don't the feel the same way. It's okay."

"No!" I blurted out. I didn't want him to get the wrong idea. I _did_ like him! My sudden outburst attracted attention from others, but Nick didn't seem to notice. He just looked at me curiously, thinking. Slowly, he said, "So... you _do_ like me?"

Everyone was staring at me, all waiting for a response. It was embarrassing, but I couldn't let the chance slip away.

"Er... yeah, but people are kind of staring." I mentally slapped myself for yet another stupid response. But Nick didn't seem to mind. His eyes lit up and without warning, his lips came in contact with mine. I tensed up at the sudden touch, an electric spark coursing throughout my entire body. I relaxed as I kissed back, a rush of excitement replacing the surprise and uncertainty I had felt earlier. Kissing him felt amazing. Wonderful. Unbelievable.

Kissing Phoenix Wright just felt so right.

* * *

><p><strong>Sorry for the cheesiness, guys. -_- Hope you enjoyed this chapter. I considered prolonging the confession with a waiter butting in but decided against it. Good choice or bad choice? You tell me. :)<strong>

**EDIT: Sorry for the chapter 1 problem. I edited something and accidentally replaced the chapter with chapter 1.**

**EDIT: 7/11/12 - HAHA, CHEESE. I CAN'T WRITE ROMANCE, GUYS. D:**


	10. I Don't Know

**Chapter 10: I Don't Know**

Phoenix Wright

"Come on, Nick! Steel Samurai's on!" Maya wailed to me from the living room. I couldn't help but smile at the sound of her voice. It seemed that smiling was all I ever did around Maya, lately.

"Mr. Nick! You can't keep your _beloved_ waiting!" Pearls echoed. I chuckled. If only she knew.

"Alright, I'm coming." I quickly stuffed the remains of my breakfast down my throat and flopped myself down next to Maya on the couch. I watched in confusion as the Steel Samurai and the Pink Princess started acting lovey-dovey toward each other. From what little I picked up from the constant blaring of the T.V., they were just partners in crime-fighting.

"What's with all the love junk?" I whispered to Maya, careful to keep it from little Pearls's ears. If she had heard what I called this "romance", I would have had a large, red hand print on my face not long afterward.

"The Steel Samurai and the Pink Princess kissed in yesterday's episode after beating up the Evil Magistrate and his minions. It was beautiful. As they stood on the battlefield of their worst enemies, the Steel Samurai professed his love for the Pink Princess." Maya looked off into space, sighing dreamily. "Isn't that just romantic?"

"Uh, yeah, I guess." Somehow, the thought of making out with someone while multiple bodies laid unconscious on the floor didn't sound very appealing to me, but hey, I guess Maya was into that kind of stuff. After putting some thought into it, I asked with confidence, "But I was more romantic, right?"

"Hm..." Maya put her hand to her face in mock contemplation. "Nope."

"W-what?" I sputtered, amazed at her bluntness. That was a pretty huge blow to my ego. I tried convincing her (and maybe myself), "But I was, you know, spontaneous and stuff! And that 'I've wanted to do that for a long time' line was pretty good, too."

"Eh." Maya shrugged impassively and reverted her eyes to the television screen, casually taking a swig out of her soda bottle.

"Fine. What if I did this...?" I nudged her head toward me and met her lips with mine, only to feel the back of my head get slapped. Really hard.

"Ow!" I tenderly rubbed my head, looking to Maya for an explanation.

"Stop it," Maya muttered sternly, though she couldn't mask the playfulness in her voice. "Pearly's sitting right over..." Maya trailed off, choking on her words. "P-Pearly!"

I turned my head and saw Pearls staring at us with those large, innocent eyes of her. Slowly, a large smile grew on her face.

"Oh, Mr. Nick! Are you finally showing your feelings for Mystic Maya? I knew it! Why didn't you kiss her sooner? You are her special someone after all!" Her ramblings continued as she went on about love and marriage and babies.

"Yeah," I agreed. "I don't know why I ever waited this long."

And with that, I gave Maya another kiss.

* * *

><p><strong>The end. It's really short, I know. I think it's pretty satisfying, but I'm worried it actually sucks. So... if it does, then tell me and I'll re-do it.<strong>

**EDIT: Haha, the smack was from Maya since she didn't want little Pearl to watch them making out. Sorry if that wasn't clear. :) Edited for clarity.**

**EDIT 2: Fixed some typos. And thanks, guys. Guess I won't be changing it.**


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